Five-tool players are much desired in MLB. But just how many players truly fit that description?
An exhaustive list of five-tool talents would only feature a handful of names. And yet the prospect of having one keeps general managers up at night, pacing back and forth across their living rooms as they try to figure out just how to acquire such a complete player.
The 2023 MLB Draft features a multitude of players who could fit in that billing. And yet there's one who has front offices and fans alike enchanted: center fielder Max Clark.
Clark was long considered a potential candidate for the No. 1 overall pick. And although he'll likely have to wait a little longer before hearing his name called, his skillset has left evaluators awestruck.
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Here's what you need to know about Clark, one of the highest-profile upstarts in this year's draft.
Who is Max Clark?
Hailing from the baseball hotbed that is Indiana, Clark is the latest in a long-line of big league-bound Hoosiers. Even among this exclusive company, though, Clark stands out.
Much of that is due to his athletic frame. Carrying a 6-foot, 190-pound build that looks far more mature than his age, Clark has just the sort of freakish traits that gets people talking.
Clark is seen as one of the most versatile options in this year's draft. He has a penchant for big plays out of center field, racing through the grass to snag even the most challenging of batted balls.
He also possesses a Grade-A arm. Clark's fastball can top out at 97 mph. That should only serve him well launching lasers from the outfield grass.
Ultimately, though, Clark's best trait are his wheels. Clark is a double-plus runner, possessing Grade-A speed. His 60-yard dash clocked in at 6.33 seconds, better than 99.37 percent of 2023 high school draft prospects. It's game-changing speed, so to speak, the sort of elusiveness that should prove especially dangerous as the game looks to embrace the stolen base once again.
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Clark isn't infallible. He's not much of a power hitter; his smooth lefty swing is more adept at slapping line drives about rather than putting them over the wall.
But if Clark can make himself into a 20+ homer threat, the future looks mighty bright. Speedy outfielders with range are worth their weight in gold. Clark brings that and more, flashing contact tools that could shine at the next level.
Max Clark MLB comparison
Clark shares a lot of traits with some of the game's great players. The likes of Mike Trout, Julio Rodriguez and a healthy Byron Buxton serve as potential models for the 18-year old as he makes his way through the show. So too does Mookie Betts, a player who wasn't renowned for his power in the early parts of his career.
Betts' pop developed as he grew more at home at Fenway. That didn't just materialize in round-trippers — although he's become quite adept at them. Betts is an extra base machine, with his slugging percentages regularly sitting in the .500s. Clark's blazing speed should make him a threat any time the ball is in play, both on offense and defense. Add his lively arm and it's easy to see the appeal.
Clark may not quite the well-roundedness of a player like Betts. But he doesn't necessarily need to, either. Any player capable of playing good centerfield, creating runs on the basepaths and being a fundamentally sound batter has a good chance of lasting long in MLB.